Have been working on the water for quite a few years now and am looking to advance my career. This means obtaining an AB Limited or Unlimited right now. I currently work on Unlimited Tonnage vessels as an OS on Inland waters, with occasional trips to Canada, I have held an AB Special for a couple years thanks to many seasons fishing in Alaska. That time was all Near Coastal. I also have some days outside the boundary line, and like I said, some days in Canada.
So…my question is can Inland time count towards an AB Unlimited? Time was not on lakes or rivers. All saltwater.
I’m getting close to the 1080 days required for an UNLIMITED, and will reach that point before I obtain the 540 days over 100GT is why I’m asking.
Also hold STCW endorsements for BST, Adv. FF, RFPNW, VPDSD/SA, Lifeboatman, Able Seafarer-Deck…not that it probably matters.
[QUOTE=Tacktician;156966]Have been working on the water for quite a few years now and am looking to advance my career. This means obtaining an AB Limited or Unlimited right now. I currently work on Unlimited Tonnage vessels as an OS on Inland waters, with occasional trips to Canada, I have held an AB Special for a couple years thanks to many seasons fishing in Alaska. That time was all Near Coastal. I also have some days outside the boundary line, and like I said, some days in Canada.
So…my question is can Inland time count towards an AB Unlimited? Time was not on lakes or rivers. All saltwater.
I’m getting close to the 1080 days required for an UNLIMITED, and will reach that point before I obtain the 540 days over 100GT is why I’m asking.
Also hold STCW endorsements for BST, Adv. FF, RFPNW, VPDSD/SA, Lifeboatman, Able Seafarer-Deck…not that it probably matters.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=jdcavo;157040]For AB-Unlimited, the time has to be oceans, near coastal, or Great Lakes. See 46 CFR 12.403(a)(1) and 46 U.S. Code 7307.[/QUOTE]
Thank you so much for the links and clarification Mr. Cavo. I am curious after reading the 46 U.S. Code 7307 link as to what the following section under the requirements for AB Limited means.
[I][B]ACCEPTANCE OF CERTAIN SERVICES TOWARDENDORSEMENT AS ABLE SEAMANService used to qualify for endorsement as able seaman—fishingindustry to be accepted as qualifyingservice toward an endorsement under this section, seesection 602(e)(3) of Pub. L. 101–595, set out as a noteunder section 7306 of this title.
[/B][/I]
Does this mean that up to 180 days of my fishing time, even if under 100gt, can count towards the 540 for an AB Limited?
[QUOTE=Tacktician;157086]Thank you so much for the links and clarification Mr. Cavo. I am curious after reading the 46 U.S. Code 7307 link as to what the following section under the requirements for AB Limited means.
[I][B]ACCEPTANCE OF CERTAIN SERVICES TOWARDENDORSEMENT AS ABLE SEAMANService used to qualify for endorsement as able seaman—fishingindustry to be accepted as qualifyingservice toward an endorsement under this section, seesection 602(e)(3) of Pub. L. 101–595, set out as a noteunder section 7306 of this title.
[/B][/I]
Does this mean that up to 180 days of my fishing time, even if under 100gt, can count towards the 540 for an AB Limited?[/QUOTE]
There is no tonnage requirement for AB-Unlimited, just route. The 100 GRT requirement is for AB-Limited.
Ther passage you quoted is historical and background info, it’s not the statute in the U.S. Code. This type of information is used mosrtly by lawyers to determine the intent of the law and to resolve confusing or ambiguous portions, but it doesn’tr substitute for or modify the clear and unambiguopus requirements of the Code itself. Or the simple explanation, it’s not relevant to your situation. With hindsight, I should have just linked to the CFR, that’s clear enough on its own.